Tire casing and rim



Fb. 15, 1938. B, CARTER 2,108,329

TIRE CASING AND RIM Filed May 10, 1937 INVENTOR. 31f 31 l BURTON D. CARTER ATTORNEY.

I Patented Feb. 15

UNITED STATES TIRE CASING AND RIM Burton 1). Carter, Aberdeen, SQ Dak. Application May 10, 1937, Serial No. 141,635

13 Claims. (01. 152-20) 7 My invention pertains to an improved construction of casings for pneumatic tires foruse on vehicles, and wheel rims for supporting said casings, by which the advantages below described are secured My invention pertains particularly to tire casings of the type known as straight side" casings and rims of the type known as drop center rims, said casings having edge beads containing reinforcing rings of metal which prevent enlargement' and stretching of said beads, and said rims having integral edge flanges extending outwardly from the inner diameters of the casing beads to hold the casing laterally on the rim; the drop 15 center of the rim being enough smaller in diameter than the inner diameters of the beads, to permit working the beads over one of the edge flanges of the rim without stretching of the beads, after which the non-stretchable beads are worked onto the casing supporting surfaces of the rim Y which are of substantially the same diametervas the inner diameters of said beads.

Among the advantages of this type of casing and rim construction, are the stability of the casing beads whichmakes practically impossible the removal of the casing from the rim when the tire is inflated, and the impossibility of separation of therim flanges from the rim, on account of the rim and its flanges constituting an integral and unitary structure, which positively holds the casing on the rim for all conditions of use. These advantages are important with the high speed operation of motor vehicles which is now common. At the same time, casings of the type referred to, are usually of large crosssection relatively to the tire diameters, and'they are not invulnerable as to punctures and-blow-outs, and where for any reason, a tire having a casing of this type, is rapidly deflated when on a vehicle 40 traveling at high speed, the greatly reduced effective diameter of the tire and the relatively large a mass of the released and erratically moving deflated casing, constitute a serious menace to those in the vehicle, and an object of the present invention is to overcome these. difllculties without sacrificing the advantages of casings and rims of the types referred to.

By my invention, I provide a rim of the drop center type, with two laterally spaced cylindri- 5 cal bead seats of substantially different diameters, the seat of larger diameter being preierably towards the vehicle on which the wheel rim is used, that is, on the inside portion of the rim,

the other and smaller seat being on the outside portion of the rim, and preferably of substan tively to the diameters of the rim seats, and the 'gency tread being preferably as much greater 15 to the emergency tread of the tire, is so small affords substantial frictional engagement with 9.

PATENT OFFICE tially the same diameter as the inner diameter of the beads of a conventional straight side pneumatic tire casing of the same size. The casing of my invention is provided with edge beadshaving inner diameters substantially equalrespec- 5 bead of larger diameter has integrally built into itfan emergency tread construction of somewhat smaller external diameter than the main tread diameter of the casing in use, the difference in 10 these diameters being substantially equal to the normal compression of the main tread of the casing in traveling over roadway inequalities ordinarily encountered, and the diameter of the emerthanthe inner diameter of the smaller head, as the saidnormalcompression of the main tread will permit. 7

Among the advantages of my improved construction are 20 First: In the event of'deflation of a tire while in use, due, for example to a blow-out or a puncture, the drop of the wheel from themain tread that the pull on the steering wheel is reduced to 25 a readily controllable amount, thereby greatly reducing the danger of accident;

Second: The greatly reduced wheel drop referred to, materially reduces the tendency of skiddingof the deflated tire;

. 3Q Third: The emergency tread, being of rubber,

roadway when it is brought into use, in contrast to the small frictional engagement of the metal rim with the roadway where the conventional 35 tire and rim constructionare used, thereby maintaining the control -of the vehicle practically uindisturbed in the event of said deflation of the t e; a

, Fourth: The emergency tread provides a sub- 40 stantial clearance between the smaller flange of the rim and the roadway, thereby not only protecting the larger rim flange from .injury in an emergency, by the action of the emergency tread, but also protectingthe casing from rim cutting, 45 and preventing injury to the smaller rim flange; Fifth: The emergency tread being solid and of rubber, provides a surface on. which the vehicle may safely be run at slow speed, without injury to the casing or to the rim, thus facilitating 5o reaching a repair station, instead of requiringthe vehicle to be stopped at the scene of a tire deflation, attended bythe disadvantage and delay involved in bringing a repair man to the scene;

Sixth: The emergency tread protects, the cas- 55 ing from rim cutting and the rim from injury due tov unusual roadway projections, such as poorly installed car tracks and railway crossings,

the bumping of the relatively stiff but elastic tread over usual roadway projections not with a properly inflated tire;

Eighth: In any case of deflation of the tire while in use, and in any case of use of the emergency tread with the tire deflated, and in any case of abnormal and dangerous roadway projections, the substantial diiference in diameter of the rim seats, insures a substantial clearance between the smaller rim flange and the roadway. protecting'the casing and the inner tube of the tire from injury;

Ninth: The substantial difference in the diameters of the beads of the casing, permits permanently securing the larger bead and associated emergency tread to the larger seat of the rim, without interfering with the removal of the smaller casing bead from the smaller seat of the rim by means of the drop in the center of the rim, when it may be necessary to remove and replace an inner tube, thus materially reducing the time and eflort involved in making such repairs, the clearance between the casing and the rim with the smaller bead removed from the rim.

ating wheel rim in accordance with my inven''- tion,

- a modified means for holding the larger casing beadon the rim,

Fig. 3 is a left hand elevation to an enlarged scale, of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a part of the structure shown in Fig.3, taken along the line'l-l, and a i Fig. 5 is an end view of the wire retaining device shown in Fig. 4.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. I I

As shown in Fig. 1, a metal wheel rim i8, preferably formed from sheet metal, is provided at its edge portions with bead seats H and I2 between which the rim is provided with a center drop l3 where the rim is securedto the outer edge portion 'of the web I of the wheel in any suitable manner, for example, by rivets l5. The seats H and ii are provided with outwardly extending edge flanges l5 and I! for restraining casing beads on said seats, from movement laterally of'and away from said seats. The seat ii is of substantially the same diameter as used with standard drop-center rims for straightside tire casings of similar diameter and crosssection to the casing illustrating my invention; and the drop center l3 has a relation to said seat Fig. 2"illustrates in aview similar to Fig. 1,

' similar to that used'with said standard rims, so that a non-expansible casing bead of a size to fit said seat may readily be worked over the flange l6, into the center drop l3 and onto the seat against the flange IS in the usual manner.

The casing 18 is provided with a main tread 9 and edge beads 20 and 2|, said beads having incorporated in them reinforcing rings 22 and 23 respectively, made of metal wire in the manner usual in straight-side casing construction, to

-make the beads rigid against expansion, but permitting the bead 20 to be worked over the rim flange IS in mounting the casing on the rim. The bead 20 has an inner diameter fitting the seat H in a manner usual'with straight-side casings and drop-center rims, but the inner diameter of the bead 2| is much larger than the inner diameter of the bead 20, and fits the seat l2 in a manner similar to the fit of the bead 20 on its seat The bead 2| is provided with a substantial enlargement extending laterally from the inner portion of the casing, to form an emergency tread 24, said enlargement being preferably of rubber sufiiciently resilient to cushion usual roadway inequalities at slow speeds, and having a depth radially which is sufllcient to protect the rim and its flange I], when the emergency tread is in use. The outer diameter of the emergency tread 24 is enough smaller than the diameter of the main tread I 9, so that the compression of the main tread by usual road inequalities when the ca'sing is properly inflated, will not quite bring the emergency tread into engagement with the roadway, and this difference in tread diameters may, of course, be different for. diiferent sizes and constructions of. casings and the uses for which they are intended.-

' The seat i2 being of relatively large diameter, I find it desirable to positively hold the bead 2| on said seat, instead of depending on the inflation of the tire to do so. To accomplish this, a heavy wire ring 25 is incorporated in the bead 2| during the manufacture of the casing, the ends of said heavy wire being contained in an outer side recess 28 in the bead, which'recess isv placed in alinement with a circumferential slot 21 through the flange I1, when the bead 2| is mounted on the seat |2, to give access through said flange to the ends of the ring 25, so that said ring may be tightened in-any desired manner, to hold the bead 2| tightly on its seat l2.

In Figs. 3 and 4, I illustrate one means that may be employed to tighten the ring 25. As there shown, the ends of the ring are spaced from each other, and each end has rigidly secured thereto, spaced flanges 28 and 29, so that, as shown in Fig. i, the outer flanges 28, 28 may be engaged by the slotted jaws of a clamping tool 38, by which the ends of the wire 25 are forced towards each other, until a U-shaped retaining member 3| .can be inserted at each' of its ends between the flanges 28, 29, and by engagement with the flanges 29, 29, hold the'wire and against I *stantially flat retaining ring 32 of metal having rigidly secured thereto studs 33 extending through holding the larger bead of the on its seat the rim flange, consisting of a subciearance holes in the rim, the outer-ends of said studs being threaded and engaging suitable nuts by which the ring 32 is securely held in place with its outer portion pressing laterally against the bead of the casing. With this construction, the rim llla,seats Ma and I20, rim flanges l6a and I'Ia, the casing I81: and its beads a and 2la, and its treads lfla and a, are the same respectively as the rim l0, seats H and I2, rim flanges i6 and H, the casing l8 and its beads 20 and 2|, and its treads l9 and 24 above described in connection with Fig. 1, excepting that the wire 25, the recess 26 and the flange slot 21 are omitted, and that the inner surfaces of the rim Illa and casing l8a adjacent the seat l2a, are recessed to receive the thickness of the retaining ring 32, to make the inner surface of the rim Illa and of the casing 18a smoothly continuous with the inner surface of said retaining ring, which ring, it will be understood, may either be a single member, or sectional, as preferred. The ring 32, whether a unitary member or sectional, is readily put in place after the bead 2lais mounted on the seat Ila and before the bead 20a is placed on the rim "la.

The casings l8 and Na. above described, are made inthe usual manner of layers of fabric or cords and rubber, the tread portions I9 24, I91; and 24a being" of rubber compound sufliciently hard and at the same time suific'iently resilient to serve their intended purposes.

In using therim and casing construction described, inner pneumatic tubes (not shown) are employed in the usual manner to lreep the cas-- ings in inflated condition. I

From theconstruction described, it will ap pear that by my invention I attain all of the desirable advantages above set forth, and that with the casing deflated and with the vehicle. riding on the emergency tread, the deflated condition of the casing (illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. l) results in ample clearance spaces in the casing and around the smaller flange of the rim, to completely protect from injury the casing.

the inner tube and thesmaller flange of the the larger rim flange being at that time also protected against injury by the emergency tread I If preferred, the emergency tread portion may be separate from the casing and mounted on the larger-rim seat adiacent the larger casing bead.

While I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment set forth, it will be understood that I do not limit myself thereto in carrying :out my invention, as I mayemploy equiv alentsthereof without departing from the scope of the appended claims. what I claim is;

1. In a tire and rim construction, the combination of a rim having ,two spaced bead seats separated laterally by a drop center, one of said seats having a diameter equalto the inner diameter of the cooperating tire casing;-and the other oi. said seats having a diameter intermediate the inner and outer diameters of said casing, and

a straight-side tire casing having edge beads of inner diameters respectively fltting said seats, said larger bead having-an enlargement extending laterally outwardly from said casing to constitute an emergency tread. I I

2. In a tire and rim construction, the combination of a rim having two spaced bead seats separated laterally by a drop center, one of said seats having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the cooperating tire casing, and the other of said seats having a diameter intermediate the inner and outer diameters of said casing, a straight-side tire casing having edge beads of inner diameters respectively fitting said seats, and an emergency tread portion extending laterally outwardly from said casing and support ed on the larger one of said seats, said rim having outwardly extending radial and integral flanges at the outer edges of said seats.

3. In a tire and rimconstruction, the combination of a rim having two spaced bead seats separated laterally by a drop center, one of said seats having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the cooperating tire casing, and the other of said seats having a diameter intermediate the inner and outer diameters of said casing, and a straight-side tire casing having edge beads of inner diameters respectively fitting said seats, said larger bead having an enlargement extending laterally outwardly from said casing to constitute an emergency tread, each of said beads having therein ametal restraining ring holding said bead against expansion.

4. In a tire and rim construction, the combination of a rim having two spaced bead seats separated laterally by a' drop center, one of said seats having a diameter equal to the inner adjacent said larger bead, and a metal clamping ringin said emergency tread portion for com-' pressing it "against its supporting seat; 5. In a tire and rim construction, the combination of a rim having two spaced bead seats separated laterally by a drop center, one of said seats-having a diameter equal to the inner slams eter of the cooperating tire-casing, and the other ofsaid seats having a diameter intermediate the inner and outer diametersof saidcasing, and a straight-side tire casing having edge beads of inner diameters respectively fitting said seats, an emergency treadportion 'on said larger-seat adjacent said larger head, a metal clamping ring in said emergency tread portion for compressing it against its supporting seat, and a retaining member for holding said clamping ring in clamping condition.; I

6. Ina tire and rim construction, the combination of. a having two spaced bead seats separated laterally by a drop centenone of ,said seats having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the cooperating tire casing, and the other of said seats having a diameter intermediate the inner and outer diameters of said casing, and. a straight-side tire casing having edge beads of inner diameters respectively fitting said seats, said larger bead having an enlargementextend ing laterally outwardly from said casing to con- 7 stitute an emergency tread, a metal clamping ring in said enlargement for compressing said 'enlargement against the larger one of said seats, and a retaining member for holding saidclamping ringin clamping condition, each of said beads having therein a metal restraining ring holding said bead against expansion.

'1. In a tire and'riin construction, the combination of a rim having two spaced bead .seats separated laterally by a drop center, one of said seats having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the cooperating tire casing, and the other of said seats having a diameter intermediate the inner and outer diameters of said casing, and a straight-side tire casing having edge beads of inner diameters respectively fitting said seats, said larger bead having an enlargement extending laterally outwardly from said casing to constitute an emergency tread, a substantially flat ring in said casing adjacent said larger seat and overlapping said larger bead, and studs extending from said flat ring through said rim for holding said fiat ring against said larger bead.

8. In a tire and rim construction, the combination of a rim having two spaced bead seats separated laterally by a drop center, one of said seats having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the cooperating tire casing, and the other of said seats having a diameter intermediate the inner and outer diameters of said casing, and a straight-side tire casing having edge beads of inner diameters respectively fitting said seats, said larger bead having an enlargement extending laterally outwardly from said casing to constitute an emergency tread, a substantially fiat ring in said casing adjacent said larger seat and overlapping said larger bead, and studs extending from said flat ring through said rim for holding said flat ring against said larger bead, eachof said beads having therein a metal restraining ring holding said bead against expansion. j

9. A casing for pneumatic tires having straight-side edge beadsoidiflerent inner diameters, the inner diameter of one of said beads being the inner diameter 01' said casing and the inner diameter of the other of said beads being intermediate the inner and outer diameters of said casing, said larger diameter bead having an enlargement extending laterally therefrom and constituting an emergency tread.

10. A casing for pneumatic tires having straight-side edge beads o'i' difierent inner diama oaaao eters, the inner diameter of one of said beads being the inner diameter of said'casing and the inner diameterof the other of said beads being intermediate the inner and outer diameters of said casing, said larger diameter bead having an' enlargement extending laterally therefrom and constituting an emergency tread, each of said beads having therein a metal restraining ring holding said bead against expansion.

11. A casing for pneumatic tires having straight-side edge beads of different inner diameters, the inner diameter of one of said beads being the inner diameter of said casing andthe inner diameter of the other of said beads being intermediate the inner and outer diameters of said casing, said larger diameter bead having an enlargement extending laterally therefrom and constituting an emergency tread, and ametal clamping ring in said enlargement.

12. A casing for pneumatic tires having straight-side edge beads of different inner diameters, the inner diameter of one of said beads being the inner diameter of said casing and the inner diameter of the other of said beads being intermediate the inner and outer diameters, ofsaid casing, said larger diameter bead having an enlargement extending laterally therefrom and constituting an emergency tread, a metal clamping ringvin said enlargement, and a retaining member for holding said clamping ring in clamping condition. 1

13. A casing for pneumatic tires having straight-side edge beads of different inner diameters, the inner diameter of one of said beads being the inner diameter of said casing and the inner diameter of the other of said beads being intermediate the inner and outer diameters of said casing, said larger diameter bead having an enlargement extending laterally therefrom and constituting an emergency tread, and-a metal clamping ring in said enlargement, each of saidbeads having therein a metal restraining ring holding said bead against expansion. BURTON D. CARTER. I 

